Closet German-Americans let's brag! - Page 3

Rascal · #31 Apr 25, '05, 9:22 am

I don't know about bragging of being German. I've always been proud of my heritage, despite the unfortunate stigma of WWII. Having a grandfather who fought in the German army during that time, I can understand what our Holy Father must go through.

What I'm excited about is the opportunity for pope Benedict to be able to touch his native land and help foster more understanding and growth in their Catholic faith. Attending mass there is hardly inspirational (as far as attendance). I'd like to see that improve in the next five years.

Prost!

MiddleBear · #32 Apr 25, '05, 10:58 am

I agree that the word closet German-American doesn't fit for me as I have never hidden my teutonic heritage.

ally · #33 Apr 25, '05, 11:08 am

Mtr0l, there were two posts before you who also were half Polish and half German so you can join their very exclusive club...2 steins for you

Rascal, did you read posts #18 and #23? Some of us did not have an easy time being German-American. My mother converted to Catholicism from strict German Lutheranism to marry my Irish-American father and was shunned by her family. I never socialized with my German cousins even though they lived in my same small town. Not only did I feel the shame of what Hitler had done but I never was able to enjoy the German culture that they learned and enjoyed in their German Lutheran schools. My town had very few German Catholics and they probably were not admitting it either.
But those days are past and I forgive all my relatives living and dead who shunned me as a child.

Papa Benedict XVI has filled my heart with love for all.....especially the Germans that I felt never had any love for me.

**Ani Ibi** · #34 Apr 25, '05, 11:24 am

I am just eating left over red cabbage and potatoes for lunch. Yesterday I had sausages! I am having a grand time sneaking into this German party!

ally · #35 Apr 25, '05, 11:49 am

Ani Ibi, I will join you for lunch. I'll bring my "meatless" Bratwurst Sausages...brand name is "Boca". So even we vegetarian Germans can join the fun! They aren't as delicious as the Brats from the Sheboygan Bratwurst Festivals held every fall in a German city north of Milwaukee but they are one of my favorites.

**Ani Ibi** · #36 Apr 25, '05, 12:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ally

Ani Ibi, I will join you for lunch.

Yay! Company!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ally

I'll bring my "meatless" Bratwurst Sausages...brand name is "Boca".

Ok good that you gave the brand name. I will ask our grocery store to stock up on it. I do not eat red meat. And to tell you the truth those turkey keilbassas yesterday were really good but they don't really agree with my stomach. Veggie sausages on the other hand ... yum!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ally

every fall in a German city north of Milwaukee.

I don't think the American German population should compromise. The largest Octoberfest in North America is in Kitchener Waterloo up here in Ontario. I think yall should come up here this Fall.

Meanwhile have some of the beer that the Pope drinks:

Dance?

ally · #37 Apr 25, '05, 1:15 pm

Yes....let's polka!

I don't know how to paste in a polka song on this thread but I googled in"Polka holidats" (No, not a spelling error...it is holidats) and found some good polkas...eg. "Clarinet Polka" and the famous "Liechenstein Polka" but I also found a "Mary's Polka" that I wish I could paste into this thread for

Papa because he, just like Pope John the Great loved Mary. Anyone know how to paste it in?? We can't have a real celebration without the polka!

ally · #38 Apr 25, '05, 1:19 pm

I meant to say Pope John Paul the Great

....I forgot to type "Paul"

**Ani Ibi** · #39 Apr 25, '05, 3:38 pm

Did someone say polka?

Mary1973 · #40 Apr 25, '05, 6:56 pm

Did anyone see "The Journey Home" tonight? Marcus was wearing a traditional Bavarian jacket. He looked quite smart in it. I remember when I went to Munich many years ago, I was shocked to see every day people wearing leiderhosen and dirdnls (sorry if I mis-spelt those).

JW10631 · #41 Apr 25, '05, 7:14 pm

Talking about bragging......

When my family visited my uncle's family who lived in the Detroit area way back in 1974, we took a day's drive to Northern Michigan and stopped at a cute little town called Frankenmuth.

http://www.frankenmuthcity.com/

There is a bunch of Bavarian architecture and we had lunch at a terrific German restaraunt. The waiters wore lederhosen.

Troy Holl in Pittsburgh is the German neighborhood of the city.

When I was a kid in the '70s, I didn't get flack for being part German. Hogan's Heroes was in syndication and popular. I did get more grief for being Polish -thanx to Norman Lear's Archie Bunker character who had to make ethnic slurs more popular.

I had a semester of German in college, but I don't remember it. My esposa is from Colombia and I need to study Spanish more. Chances are our next Papa will speak Spanish as our first language.

Anyway - many prayers and many years for Papa Benedict XVI!

Psalm45:9 · #42 Apr 25, '05, 7:16 pm

I'm proud of my German Catholic heritage. I wore my Bavarian hat all week in celebration of the election of our new Pope. I'm Polish on my mother's side, so I'm lucky to have two Pope in a row that are the same ethnicity as me.

snowgarden · #43 Apr 26, '05, 6:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mary1973

Did anyone see "The Journey Home" tonight? Marcus was wearing a traditional Bavarian jacket. He looked quite smart in it. I remember when I went to Munich many years ago, I was shocked to see every day people wearing leiderhosen and dirdnls (sorry if I mis-spelt those).

Yes, he looked quite good!

Rascal · #44 Apr 26, '05, 7:34 am

Is Weideneder truly what Pope Benedict drinks? I don't know that I've tried that particular brewery before. Wheat beer I presume? Mmmm, my favorite.

4HisChurch · #45 Apr 26, '05, 8:32 am

How German am I?

Well, no one currently alive in my family actually speaks German anymore, although my grandfather did. I grew up with saurkraut as an essential Thanksgiving side dish, to the horror of my non-German friends.

Liverworst was called by its "proper" name, Braunschweiger, and "Swiss cheese" was called "Switzer" Cheese. And this was all from my MOM, whose father was NOT the one in my family who spoke German. So, I have the German language on one side of my family, and various German words and customs on the other side. I do not, however like beer. (Sorry!

)